Ueno Park

Laid out in 1873, Ueno Park became Tokyo’s first Westernized city park.  That’s not to say it doesn’t have a lot of the East about it.  Along with the Western style museums and zoo, there are temples and shrines including the Ueno Toshogu Shrine honoring the memory of Ieyasu Tokugawa; the Kanei-ji Kiyomizu-do dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy; and Bentendo Jinja on a small island in the middle of a tranquil pond.  The museums include the Tokyo National Museum with a fine collection of Asian art and artifacts, the National Museum of Western Art with an impressive collection of works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gogh etc., the National Science Museum, the Tokyo Metropolitan Fine Art Museum and the Shitamachi History Museum.  The zoo has animals from all over the world with a family of pandas being the biggest attraction.  Jugglers, musicians and other street performers provide entertainment that always attracts a crowd of appreciative onlookers.  Ueno Park is filled with life; it’s a great place to just stroll around.